ne
Economic aid:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY85-89), $1.0 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $345 million
Currency: 1 Bahamian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Bahamian dollar (B$) per US$1-1.00 (fixed rate)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*The Bahamas, Communications

Highways:
2,400 km total; 1,350 km paved, 1,050 km gravel
Ports:
Freeport, Nassau
Merchant marine:
853 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 20,136,078 GRT/33,119,750 DWT;
includes 53 passenger, 18 short-sea passenger, 159 cargo, 40
roll-on/roll-off cargo, 48 container, 6 vehicle carrier, 181 oil tanker, 14
liquefied gas, 22 combination ore/oil, 43 chemical tanker, 1 specialized
tanker, 159 bulk, 7 combination bulk, 102 refrigerated cargo; note-a flag of
convenience registry
Airports:
total:
60
usable:
55
with permanent-surface runways:
31
with runways over 3,659 m:
0
with runways 2,440-3, 659 m:
3
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
26
Telecommunications:
highly developed; 99,000 telephones in totally automatic system;
tropospheric scatter and submarine cable links to Florida; broadcast
stations-3 AM, 2 FM, 1 TV; 3 coaxial submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean
INTELSAT earth station

*The Bahamas, Defense Forces

Branches:
Royal Bahamas Defense Force (Coast Guard only), Royal Bahamas Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 68,020; fit for military service NA (1993 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion-$65 million, 2.7% of GDP (1990)

*Bahrain, Geography

Location: Middle East, in the central Persian Gulf, between Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Map references:
Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
620 km2
land area:
620 km2
comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
not specified
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
territorial dispute with Qatar over the Hawar Islands; maritime boundary
with Qatar
Climate:
arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers
Terrain:
mostly low desert plain rising gently to low central escarpment
Natural resources:
oil, associated and nonassociated natural gas, fish
Land use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
6%